On Sunday, I took the TOEIC exam. I was a little nervous and ended up waking up earlier than usual. On my way to the test center, I listened to some TOEIC listening audio to get my ears warmed up. When I arrived, the place was filled with people who were also there to take the test. Everyone had such serious expressions on their faces. The listening section was faster than I expected, and there were a few moments when I felt panicked, but I managed to stay focused all the way through. The reading section was tough because of the time management. I spent too much time on the grammar questions, so I had to rush toward the end. Even so, I feel like I did my best. I read as carefully as I could and chose the answers that made the most sense to me. It wasn’t perfect, but I’m sure I gave it everything I had. After the test, all the tension drained from my body, and I suddenly felt really hungry. On my way home, I bought something sweet as a little reward for my hard work. I don’t know the result yet, but for now, I’m relieved that it’s finally over. I really hope my score goes up at least a little compared to last time.

Which option do you think is right? أي خيار تعتقد أنه الخيار المناسب؟ 🤔🙄🇹🇷

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well. Will you find the right phrasal verb? If you have a question, feel free to check my profile🤝 👉 Conversation | 👉 Test preparation | 👉 Academic and Business English. Have a great day everyone.

What does "home" mean to you at this stage in your life? Every person has a different definition of "home". I think that home is the place you feel safe, have people you love around you. It doesn't necessarily have to be the place you were born. I also think that I am in a process of searching that place. Even though I have spent 12 years of my life in Japan and feel secure here, I don't really feel that my home is here. But at the same time I don't think that my hometown is my home anymore.

What are your experiences of living away from your childhood home? I have moved to Japan 12 years ago, when I was too young and unexperienced, maybe scared a bit of everything. Living alone without a family or anyone was a challenge but I think it made me a better person. I saw life from a different perspective, learnt a lot and became independent.

Hello. Today I have a shift at Mister Donut, and I’m feeling a little nervous about it. Recently, I haven’t been scheduled as often as before, so I’m worried that I might have forgotten some of the small procedures or the pace of the work. Even though I’ve worked there for a long time, it’s surprising how quickly I lose the sense of routine when my shifts become less frequent. Still, I’m hoping that once I actually start working, my body will remember what to do, and I’ll be able to get through the shift without any major mistakes. Another thing on my mind is the group presentation coming up this Friday. We already finished writing the script, and everyone seems to be on the same page, but I still haven’t completed the handout. Since the presentation is a group project, I don’t want to be the one who slows everyone down, so I need to focus and finish it soon. It’s always a bit stressful to balance part-time work with school assignments, but I guess that’s part of student life. Lately, I’ve also been getting more interested in American hamburger chains. There are so many famous ones in the United States that we don’t have in Japan, and I often watch videos of people trying different burgers across the country. Someday, when I’ve saved enough money, I want to travel around the U.S. and visit as many chain restaurants as I can. It might sound like a funny dream, but for me, exploring food is a really exciting way to learn about a country’s culture.

This Saturday is the day of the annual concert for the orchestra I belong to. I'm especially excited because, this year, I have been given the opportunity to perform in the pre-concert show just before the main performance begins. It’s an honor to set the mood for the evening! The pieces we are performing are three popular movements from Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet, “The Nutcracker.” Our selection includes the light and delicate “Miniature Overture,” the beautiful and flowing “Dance of the Reed Pipes,” and the exciting Russian dance, “Trepak.” What makes this performance unique is that these movements are originally written for a large symphony orchestra. They rely on a huge range of instruments—strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion to achieve their rich, vibrant sound. However, we are taking on the challenge of presenting them as a simple flute trio. This chamber arrangement is much more intricate than it sounds. We have to work hard to capture the complex harmonies and rhythmic energy of the original score with just three instruments. The “Trepak,” in particular, is a challenging piece that demands incredible speed and absolute precision to convey its vigorous, high-energy drive. We’ve been rehearsing diligently to ensure our three flutes blend perfectly and sound as cohesive and full as possible. I’m truly looking forward to sharing this intimate take on a familiar masterpiece with the audience this weekend.

A board can be just a board in someone's mind, but it also can be a world in others' mind. In fact, the Chinese Chess was invented on the background of the fights between Chu and Han dynasty 2000 years ago. All the characters have the same purpose of protecting their general. The competitors whose general survivals until the end win the competition. The things which the Chinese Chess attract people most is its diversity. Different people have their own plan for every fight. You decide to have a offense and defense sometimes depends on what your rival did. It's really like a real war. Sometimes you need to be patient for a long time to catch a mistake your vival made and give them a quick attack.Sometimes you aren't supposed to ingore a soldier's power which can give you a big surprise. You can learn something from professionals to improve your skills. But I think that the events happen on the board like things happen in real world. Everything changes anytime. You need to be quiet to observe the situations carefully before making a decision.

Last Friday was truly magical. At around 5 pm. I headed to DisneySea, and the moment I entered the park, I was surrounded by the warm glow of Christmas decorations. The entire place was sparkling with festive lights, and because it was already dark, everything looked even more enchanting. The atmosphere felt like stepping into a winter fairy tale, where every corner was filled with joy and wonder. One of the highlights of the evening was buying a popcorn bucket shaped like a Christmas tree. It wasn’t just cute. it felt like a little souvenir that captured the spirit of the season. Carrying it around made me smile every time I looked at it. Later, I treated myself to a cup of hot chocolate. It was topped with marshmallows, but not just ordinary ones. They were shaped like Snowgies, the playful little characters from Frozen. That small detail made the drink feel extra special, as if Disney had added a touch of magic just for me. As the night went on, I strolled through the park, enjoying the lights, the music, and the cheerful atmosphere. On my way home, I looked up at the sky and noticed how beautiful the stars were. They seemed brighter than usual, perhaps because I was already filled with happiness. The combination of Disney’s festive charm and the peaceful night sky made the entire day feel complete. It was one of those evenings that reminded me how simple moments like a warm drink, sparkling lights, and a clear sky—can create lasting memories.

Have you heard of the idiom, "to hold (one's) breath?" Check your understanding with this quiz question.